The Final Goodbye
by Zoe4
Summary: Hermione flashes back to a moment that changed her life. How will that decision have affected her present? Especially in the wake of tragedy.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything and you wouldn't get anything if you sued me anyway.  
  
Hermione stared, astonished by the baby lying in front of her. How had she created this little being before her? Their love had created this little angel, the love she thought would be something forever to be with her but for once in her life Hermione had been wrong. Seeing as how she was alone right now, left only with the memories of their love and the times they had shared together.  
  
'How special could our love had been?' she thought  
  
After all she was alone and raising a baby as a single parent. Tears spilled from her eyes, onto the soft pink blanket that lay on top the sleeping child, as she remembered the words he spoke to her after their first time together; the time that created the child that was sleeping in her crib right before Hermione.

* * *

_"Hermione, I have to go now," Ron said barely audible from the bedroom in Hermione's flat.  
  
'How early could it be,' she thought as the sun was barely risen in the sky. Ron started to climb out of bed and retrieve his things from the floor when she reached for his arm but it was hard to grab as he was already out of bed.  
  
"Wait, Ron what about last night?" Hermione asked while a chill ran through her body as she embraced the cool air of the room and goosebumps ran up her arms. She finally reached Ron and took his arm to stop him from picking up his clothes.  
  
"Hermione, you should get back in bed you're freezing," Ron spoke noticing her cold hands and goosebumps, "or at least put on this sweater," he said while grabbing a sweater from a nearby chair.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Now please let go of my arm, so I can keep packing," she noticed slight anger or annoyance in his voice when he talked.  
  
"Ok but tell why you're leaving then," she said as she let go of his arm.  
  
"I have to get back to my job and...," the last part he spoke was mumbled and silent.  
  
"And what?"  
  
"My family."  
  
"Your family Ron! What family? Please tell me your talking about your parents," she screamed already knowing the answer to her question and that he didn't want to return to his parents. She almost didn't want to hear what he had to say because she was so disgusted by him right now that she could barely calm down enough to look in his face and read the answer that was all over his it.  
  
"My wife," he spoke just above a whisper.  
  
"Your wife!"  
  
"And Kids."  
  
"AND KIDS!! You have children and a wife that I never knew about," thoughts were racing through her head. What had she just done? He was married and had children. Suddenly she was plagued by more emotions then she had even been in her entire life and the anger was filling her veins as she looked upon Ron's face and could barely see it through all the tears in her eyes, "how could you not tell me about them, and last night why didn't you stop us and inform me that you happened to by married with children and what we were about to do would definitely be against the wedding vows you made."  
  
"We hadn't seen each other, at least for a normal visit with just us, in almost 15 years since Hogwarts, when was I suppose to tell you? Last night when you were begging me to come to you and telling you how much you had missed me. I missed you too and after last night it just felt so right and..."  
  
"RIGHT! It felt right," Hermione erupted with anger yelling, "and what? What else did it feel last night RON!"  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good! Well no matter how good or right it felt Ron, it was still wrong. I thought you loved me but I couldn't be more wrong. All you were looking for was an easy lay. And then you could just go back to your wife. You never were ready for a relationship with me, it's the same as 7th year when you decided that you didn't love me enough to stay for me."  
  
"Oh so now you drag up that. I was 17, young and stupid. I needed to find myself and something I could do to provide for you Hermione. I always felt like I wasn't good enough for you, don't you see that."  
  
"Well then you should have come to me Ronald, because I never felt that way. I loved you no matter what and you broke my heart and once again you're doing the same thing. Just go, go and live your life while I stay here and pick up the pieces left our of "fling" once again," no matter how much anger she felt towards him she couldn't stop the tears running down her cheeks over the fact that she still loved him.  
  
"So after everything we've been through and how many times we've been pushed together and torn a part, you're just gonna let this be one of those times and let us drift a part again."  
  
"There is no us Ron, you're married."  
  
"It wasn't working out with Claire, the only reason it worked for so long anyway were Angela and Chelsea and now not even they can help us. It's been over for awhile. That's why I came here, I still love you, actually I always have but was too scared to admit that I needed you and I know you love me too."  
  
"Trust me Ron, what I feel right now is definitely not love, hatred, disgust and about every other fleeting emotion but love."  
  
"Hermione," Ron whispered making a move toward her arm before she moved it back.  
  
"Don't," Hermione said firmly, "I think you'd better leave and this time for good."  
  
"If that's what you want, I'll go," all she could do was nod her head and watch him collect his things, "fine, but I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."  
  
Hermione stared at his shoes for a minute before meeting his eyes with hers that were red and puffing and filled with tears and spoke almost monotone, "I don't love you."  
  
"Ok but I do love you Hermione and I always will," Ron spoke while placing a simple kiss on her right cheek and slipping through the door and away from her forever.  
_

* * *

How she had wanted to shout back that she had lied and really did love him but within his betrayal she couldn't find a voice. And underneath all that anger she still cried, harder then she had even done before. Almost like a small child who was separated from their mother. Why she had let him go she would never know and would have to live with that choice forever. Hermione was brought out of her thoughts by the doorbell ringing and baby Maddie's cooing.  
  
"Coming," she yelled halfway to the door, "Harry," she spoke greeted by her oldest friend, "what brings you by so early in the morning? Don't you have to be at work; I can get Maddie she just woke up."  
  
"No that's fine, actually I stopped by on my way to work because there is something that you need to know," Harry spoke with complete seriousness in his voice and it scared Hermione.  
  
"Ok what it is Harry, you're freaking me out."  
  
"Um Hermione," he was speaking firm while placing his hand on her shoulder yet he looked sad underneath his round glasses, "maybe you better sit down."  
  
"Sit down! I'm fine Harry, just tell me what it is!" Hermione yelled, she hadn't meant to yell but it was just getting to her.  
  
"It's Ron," Harry answered, soft and she could feel that Harry was holding back tears, "he's um," but Harry couldn't find the words to tell her.  
  
"He's what? He's not hurt is he."  
  
"Well no," and for a second Hermione felt settled until Harry muttered, "he's dead. He, uh, died."  
  
"How?" was the only question she seemed to be able to ask. "Ron had been researching information on the escaped Death Eaters and somehow he must have found valuable information because they found out and killed him while also taking all his research."  
  
For the first time in her life, Hermione was speechless with nothing to say or nothing she could say.  
  
"I'm telling you because the funeral is tomorrow at 2:00 o'clock at St. Mary's Cathedral and I know that Ron would have wanted you there."  
  
"I don't think it would be appropriate."  
  
"Why not? You loved Ron just as much as anyone and he was one of your best friends."  
  
"Well with his wife and me being, well you know what and it just wouldn't feel right."  
  
"Claire won't be there, at least as his wife she won't that's if she comes at all cause they divorced about 3 months ago. He told her about you and has been living in a flat in London. He made me promise not to tell you though."  
  
"Oh I see."  
  
"But I kept your secret from him too, even though I think he should have known cause he would have come back to you."  
  
"Thanks for doing that because the last thing I needed was a sympathy vote for poor Hermione."  
  
"He wouldn't have come back on sympathy, he would have come back because he loves you. Well anyway Angela and Chelsea will be there and I think they're old enough to know, and that you should tell them, at least about Maddie because she is their half sister."  
  
"Yeah, yeah you're right Harry and I should go at least to be there for his family," she hadn't even thought about how this must be affecting the Weasleys and how they must have took the news, "I'll be there."  
  
"Good and uh thanks. Hey do you want me to stay for awhile, I can always call in to work and tell them I'll be a couple hours late, at least to look after Maddie and stuff."  
  
"No, I'll be fine, you shouldn't miss work on my account, you're probably late as it is."  
  
"Yeah, well I guess I should get going then. See you tomorrow, oh and by the way I'll be picking you up just in case you chicken out or something," Harry said before disappearing through the door.  
  
Hermione wasn't really sure what to feel or even how she felt. I mean after all they weren't together but she had still loved him more then he would even know. She called her neighbor to ask her if it was all right if she came and took care of Maddie for the day. She had agreed and Hermione spent the rest of the morning on the couch emotionless. Harry stopped by after work and that was when it finally hit her that Ron was dead and she cried and even when she thought her tears had run out, she cried more into Harry's arms until he gave her a potion to give her a dreamless sleep and stayed the rest of the night to look after Maddie who had arrived back from the babysitter about an hour after Harry had stopped by.

* * *

Hermione slept in till 11:00 realizing that Maddie should be awake and needing a bottle. However she wasn't in her room when Hermione checked on her and then she remembered last night and Harry and then found them downstairs in the kitchen. Harry had made some peppermint tea and toast for her and then left to get ready for the funeral after telling her that he would be picking her up at 1:15 so they had time to drop Maddie off at her Hermione's parents house.  
  
Hermione took that time to take a shower, get ready and in waiting for Harry's arrival she couldn't help but stare upon Maddie and realize the similarities between her and Ron. Aside from Maddie's bushy brown hair and hazel eyes that she had inherited from her mother, she was the spitting image of Ron. Everything from the way her head was shaped and her face with Ron's chin and freckles present to the expressions she made; she was definitely Ron's daughter. Hermione was saddened thinking about Ron and Maddie and how Maddie would never know or meet her father and Ron never got the chance to hold his daughter who was only 2 months old.  
  
Harry arrived later and after dropping Maddie off at the Grangers they proceeded to St. Mary's for the funeral. It was a nice funeral; she guessed cause after all it was still a funeral. His daughter Angela, the mirrored reflection of Ron including red hair, who was 14 seemed to understand and talked with Hermione asking her questions about what her father was like when he was younger and about how she didn't blame Hermione at all for her parents separating and wished that they could have ended up together. She also told Hermione about how her parents had fought long before any of the other stuff happened and according to Angela were on the verge of divorce and that just pushed them in the right direction; she actually preferred seeing her parents at separate times when they couldn't fight. She was even looking forward to meeting Maddie and even offered to baby-sit. Chelsea, who was nine and looked not like Ron, apart from the red hair and Hermione took it that she resembled her mother, was not as inviting to Hermione. Hermione could tell she still thought of her as the reason her parents broke up but Hermione understood she was still young and it would take some time. After the funeral everyone proceeded to the graveyard but Hermione, telling Harry that she was too tired, secretly wanted to come back when no one else was there to be alone.  
  
She returned later, a good time after dark, with Maddie and walked forward to the grave that red Ronald Weasley, beloved father and friend. She must have been there for a good two hours as it was way past midnight and Maddie was asleep in her car seat. Hermione suddenly saw something strange around her and then Ron was standing in front of her.  
  
"Ron," was all Hermione could muster, but he seemed to know that she wanted to know everything.  
  
"Yeah, I'm still dead but I had to come back to you, even if just for a moment, cause you looked so sad and I needed to say some things to you and tell you that I love you Hermione."  
  
"Oh Ron, so do I. I always have, that day in my flat, I lied," tears were streaming down her face as Ron reached out and wiped them away.  
  
"I know, I've always known. But it's too late for us now. I came to tell you to be happy and not to cry for me. Take care of Harry, he'll need someone cause he's not as strong as you are. And tell Maddie when she's old enough all about me and make sure that she knows her family, every one of them.  
  
"I will."  
  
"But also take care of yourself, for me, remember to live as only one of us died here."  
  
"I don't know if I can remember. I've been a shell for the past year, not even Maddie could break me out of it," just then Ron grabbed Hermione's waist pulling her toward him and kissed her, at first it was gentle, on the lips but then it became passionate and full of emotions of over 20 years of loving each other.  
  
"I love you," Ron murmured after pulling away, "more then you'll even know Hermione Granger, you are my forever and my family, you and our baby girl, love me but remember to live for me to."  
  
"I love you too Ronald Weasley," Hermione said once again kissing him on the lips as they clung to each other knowing it was time for him to leave and then he disappeared forever leaving just a dark night ahead.  
  
Hermione now knew how to live after the kiss that had awoken her body. Just then she realized that Maddie was awake. She picked up her baby, setting her down in her lap and told her, "This is your daddy, he loved you very much, no, he loves you very much and will always be with you whenever you need him, and so will mommy who will live for you because she loves you more then anything in this world, both of you," Hermione spoke with one final tear falling and landing on the fresh bouquet of roses at her feet. And she had finally said goodbye and he had heard everything.  
  
So what did you think? I know you'll tell me when you review my story. Please review and tell me how to improve it. 


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